Criteria

54th International
Vocal Competition
LiedDuo
16 - 21 November 2021
's-Hertogenbosch

< Complete Rules & Regulations of the 54th Lied Duo Competition >

The International Vocal Competition (IVC) is the sole international classical singing competition in the Netherlands. Every two years the IVC commissions a new composition by a Dutch composer which will be performed by all participants in the Semi-finals.

€ 20,000 prize money • Engagements • Concerts for prize-winners • Travel refund for finalists • Board and lodging at host families • Feedback from jury members • Master classes and workshops • All rounds open to the public

Participants wishing to enter the Competition must take part in the online First Round selections via YouTube.
There will be two separate jury reviewing batches, with subsequent deadlines.

Applications open

  • 1 March 2021
Application deadline

  • 10 June 2021 (batch I)
  • 12 August 2021 (batch II)

If you complete your application before 10 June your videos will be judged in Batch no. 1.
After that, the deadline is 12 August for Batch no. 2.
You can already create an account, but the moment you finish your application determines when you receive the results.
Results within three weeks after deadline. Candidates who apply for jury reviewing batch no. I receive their results more early.


First Round YouTube Jury
  • Roberta Alexander, soprano
  • Charlotte Margiono, soprano (Batch II)
  • Jard van Nes, mezzo-soprano
  • Henk Neven, baritone (Batch I)
  • Hans Eijsackers, pianist (Batch I)
  • Roger Braun, pianist (Batch II)
  • Reinild Mees, pianist
  • Jury chairman: Ivan van Kalmthout, general manager IVC

Age limit

  • Singers born on 7 December 1987 or later*
  • Pianists born on 22 November 1985 or later
  • Participants can not be younger than 18 years

* (The Opera | Oratorio competition 2020 has been postponed to 2022 because of Covid-19. The age criteria for singers in 2020 will be maintained for 2021 and 2022.)

The IVC is open to singers and pianists of all nationalities who have completed their professional education or are in their final year and aim for a professional career or have an equivalent level of training.

In the LiedDuo category singers must enroll with their regular recital partner for the First Round, who will be the Participant's permanent pianist for the Semi-finals and Finals of the Competition proper. Singer and pianist duos may only participate as one combination in the Competition, i.e. pianists cannot enroll with multiple singers.

The management of the IVC and its Artistic Commission will decide whether prize-winners from other competitions may be admitted directly to the Semi-finals.

All applications will be assessed by the management of the IVC and its Artistic Commission. Its decisions are final. Correspondence over its decisions is not possible.


Entry fee
First Round

€ 60 (per duo)

Competition proper
€ 160 (per duo)
Including host family accommodation

Participants can pay the entry fee via the application portal on the IVC website. The fee includes 21% VAT and all payment charges.
Accepted payment methods: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, PayPal, Bancontact, iDEAL, SEPA banking, SOFORT banking, KBC/CBC banking, Belfius Pay, ING Home'Pay.

The entry fee will not be refunded to Participants who withdraw from the Competition after acceptance.


For application via YouTube video the following rules apply:

a) The application must be submitted before 10 June 2021 (batch I), or before 12 August 2021 (batch II). Applications will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.

b) The recording must contain at least four separate pieces. The songs should be provided with separate links to each individual piece. Privacy settings of the videos on YouTube can be either 'Public' or 'Unlisted'. Not 'Private'. Do NOT set your videos as 'Made for children'. 

c) The recording should be a fair representation of the contestant’s abilities and be of high (preferably professional) quality. Video quality: 720p or 1080i/p or higher. No editing or other enhancement is permitted. The Competition reserves the right to disqualify studio enhanced or modified recordings. Please note: Audio only tracks (e.g. MP3) are not accepted.

d) The audition material should be recorded within 12 months prior to the date of submission. The date of recording should be mentioned. Participants must adhere to locally enforced Corona regulations when recording their video.

e) The video description should clearly mention the applicant’s name, composer, song title (and cycle) of each piece.

f) Application fee First Round selections via YouTube: € 60 per duo.

Repertoire requirements

The songs must be performed in the original language and for the various voice types authorised key.

The songs must be sung from memory. Sheet music is allowed for the compulsory vocal work by Bart Visman. Singing from memory, however, is preferred for this piece as well.

  • German core repertoire: Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Hugo Wolf.
  • French core repertoire: Gabriel Fauré, Claude Debussy, Henri Duparc, Maurice Ravel, Francis Poulenc, Reynaldo Hahn.

Participants compile their programs themselves. The songs must be performed in the program sequence specified by the participants.

Participants must clearly state their programs, including name of composer (with year of birth and year of death, if applicable), title song, title song cycle, and performance time of each work.


Repertoire First Round
Participants compile their program themselves.

• 2 German songs and 1 French song from the core repertoire, or 1 German song and 2 French songs from the core repertoire
• 1 or more songs free choice
• At least 3 different languages
• At least 1 song composed after 1920 (this can overlap with other requirements)
• A minimum of 13 minutes and a maximum of 15 minutes
• For this round, you are allowed to provide up to 6 Lieder in total

The songs must be performed in the program sequence specified by the participants.

Register for the First Round via our online application portal.


Repertoire Competition 16 - 21 November 2021
After admission via the First Rounds, the programs for the Semi-Finals and Finals of the Competition must be submitted by the participants.

Sheet music of the compulsory work "Het Goud van Vermeer"/ "Vermeer's Gold"by composer Bart Visman is available as PDF-files from May 2021via the IVC website.

Deadline for payment of Competition proper inscription fee and complete repertoire list and programs for the Semi-finals and Finals of the 54th Competition: 28 September 2021.
Participants are allowed to present minor changes to their repertoire and programs until 5 October 2021. After this date no requests for changes will be accepted.

• Repertoire from the First Round may be repeated.
• Participants may not repeat repertoire from the Semi-Finals in the Finals.
• At least 3 different languages per round.
• A minimum of 4 languages total, divided between Semi-Finals and Finals. The compulsory work "Het Goud van Vermeer" does not count towards this total.


Semi-finals

• At least 2 German songs from the core repertoire
• At least 2 French songs from the core repertoire
• The compulsory work "Het Goud van Vermeer" is performed by all duos in the Semi-Finals, they indicate themselves where in their program
• At least 1 song free choice
• At least 1 song composed after 1920 (this can overlap with the other requirements). The compulsory work "Het Goud van Vermeer" does not count towards this total
• A minimum of 20 minutes and a maximum of 22 minutes, incl. "Het Goud van Vermeer" (05:00)


Final

• At least 2 German songs from the core repertoire
• At least 2 French songs from the core repertoire
• At least 1 song by a Dutch composer (not necessarily in Dutch)
• At least 1 song free choice
• At least 2 songs composed after 1920 (this can overlap with the other requirements)
• A minimum of 28 minutes and a maximum of 30 minutes